Click It or Ticket—Better belt up

Consumer Reports News: May 19, 2008 11:39 AM

Those who choose not to use their vehicle's seat belts better beware as the annual Click It or Ticket campaign begins on Monday, May 19th. This program, conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and local law enforcement officers, serves as a nationwide wake-up call to increase awareness on the use and benefits of seat belts, and thereby reduce highway fatalities. Police officers will be out in force at seat belt checkpoints and other stepped-up law enforcement activities to stop and ticket unbelted motorists.

While seat belts are unquestionably the most effective automotive safety feature, amazingly one in five people still fail to wear them, according to NHTSA. In 2006, over 15,000 lives were saved by the use of seat belts. The organization estimates that more than 5,400 lives could have been saved if seat belts were used at the time of a crash.

Research by NHTSA shows that drivers and passengers go unbelted more at night than during the day, which is when a fatal crash risk is greatest.

However, the good news is that the national seat belt rate use has increased to 82 percent, marking a 14 percent increase since 1996. But there is still more work to be done.

So, unless you want to pay a ticket and risk your life in a crash—buckle up—day and night.

—Liza Barth

For more information on additional vehicle safety gear, see our guide to safety features.